close
Instep Today

Salman Ahmed on curating setlist for upcoming Junoon gig

By
Mon, 12, 18

Salman informed that first he asked fans on Twitter the question: ‘If you come to a Junoon concert, what [song] would you like to listen to?’

The much awaited reunion of Junoon – that comprises Ali Azmat, Salman Ahmed and Brian O’Connell – is all set to take place on December 25. The trio will reunite on-stage after 13 good years for ‘Sooper Hai Pakistan Ka Junoon’ concert to give Karachi a night to remember. The impact Junoon has had on Southasian music as well as over more than two generations cannot be denied.

However, with seven studio albums, a series of compilation records and two live albums to their credit, any music fan looking forward to the upcoming gig would be wondering what kind of setlist the band will be playing and how they made that selection.

Add to this the simple fact that with pioneering acts like Junoon, there are songs that are crowd favourites and expected by fans as well as lesser known ones. Curious to know how Junoon is curating their setlist, Instep asked Salman Ahmed the question.

He informed that first he asked fans on Twitter the question: ‘If you come to a Junoon concert, what [song] would you like to listen to?’

“The songs that they have sent make up a set of around seven hours, which isn’t practical,” Salman shared with Instep. “So, what we then do is, we make a combination of songs that people requested for and those that we would like to express [play].”

Before Junoon takes the stage, there will be a series of opening acts such as Khumariyaan, Sounds of Kolachi, Tamasha and Lyari underground - that make up an interesting line-up and showcase the diversity present in Pakistani music. The upcoming gig will take place at the DHA Sports Club (Moin Khan Academy).